Overall, it has been a better week. I feel like I have been a rehab’n machine, which is good since my health is my job these days.

1.  Medical Stuff:

• Had 2 sessions of PT. Had to wear my new shirt to PT on Wednesday:

• Saw the GI doc at U of M on Tuesday, and was prescribed Domperidone for stomach flares.
• Saw my new PCP on Wednesday.  He was very willing to learn with me.   I think he will be a good fit.
• Saw the high risk pregnancy doctor on Thursday.  I learned quite a bit…Brad and I have a lot to think about.
• Started Florinef and the Testosterone cream. So far so good.  No chest hair yet.
• Did a lot of home rehab exercises including these…

After seeing Dr. Cantieri, we headed to South Bend.


My next appointment was with Dr. Lavallee, who is a sports medicine doctor, who also specializes in Ehlers Danlos.  He actually has Ehlers Danlos; the classical type, meaning it affects his skin and he also has the extreme joint hypermobility.  I had no idea what to expect from this appointment, except I was pretty excited to talk to a doctor who actually lives with what I am living with.

Monday afternoon Brad and I headed to Mishawaka, IN for my three doctors appointments that were scheduled for Tuesday.  We made a last minute decision to go Monday for a few reasons…The weather was supposed to be nasty Tuesday morning…I knew that three appointments and a 2 1/2 hour drive home would already kick my behind…And we got a room at the Comfort Inn for 50 bucks. 


We pretended we were there only for pleasure and enjoyed a nice dinner Monday night at Papa Vino’s (first time there) and quick trip to Meijers since I forgot socks, which was followed by watching The Bachelor (Brad was oh so thrilled 🙂

Tuesday morning we headed to my first appointment with Dr. Cantieri.  Dr. Cantieri is an osteopathic doctor who specializes in complex pain problems. 

1.  Medical Stuff:

• 3 days of PT
• Great session with Dr. Rosen
• Got measured for new compression stockings (Juzo, not Jobst this time). 
• The high risk pregnancy doc’s office called.  I have an appointment January 27th. (For the record, in case you have not read previous posts, I am NOT pregnant).
• Got my testosterone levels back to take to the prolotherapy doc on Tuesday.  My levels were super low.  Hmmm, wonder what that could mean.
• Tried two new tape jobs for neck/rib/shoulder stabilization.

Exhibit A:

This week I feel I like I finally hit my stride with physical therapy.  I felt like I was an actual athlete again for a moment.  That feeling is a high, let me tell you.

This time around, it is comforting that there is a plan in place.  It is comforting that we actually know what is wrong. 

In my first round of PT from July to October, I would go to each session and we would try so many different things, not understanding why I was getting so sick with standing up exercises, and why it felt like my body just kept breaking down and falling apart no matter what I did.  I was living in a fear-gripped bubble at each session, as I was being tested for MS, ALS, other neuromuscular diseases, nutrition deficiencies, vasculitis, etc (throughout the same time frame of these therapy sessions)…